Washington • Sen. Mike Lee of Utah is opposed to a new, bipartisan bill that would divert royalty money from drilling and mining on public land to chip away at the more than $11 billion backlog of maintenance needs at America’s national parks.
Lee, who sits on the Senate Energy Committee, which is expected to take up the bill Tuesday, said he can’t support the Restore Our Parks Act because it takes about $6.5 billion from the general U.S. treasury without offsetting the new spending with cuts.
“Sen. Lee does not support the Restore Our Parks Act because it is not paid for,” spokesman Conn Carroll said Monday.